Molded pulp egg carton



April 3, 1962 R. F. REIFERS MOLDED PULP EGG CARTON 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed Feb. 5, 1960 IN VENTOR R/bhard Heifers ATTORNEY April 3, 1962 R.F. REIFERS 3,028,065

MOLDED PULP EGG CARTON Filed Feb. 3, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORRichard E Heifers BY MW FLOCKS ATTORNEY Sites Unite The presentinvention relates to improvements in a molded pulp egg carton of thetype comprising an integral tray, cover, and locking flap, and moreparticularly to such a carton in which the front wall of the cover isplanar and the locking flap has two elongated bulges each of whichsupports a locking projection.

Of the many types of egg cartons made of molded pulp which haveheretofore been proposed, one which has gained wide acceptance isgenerally of the type shown in Cox #2,771,223 issued November 20, 1956.In this patent, there is shown a molded pulp egg carton having a trayprovided with a plurality of cells, the tray having a cover integrallyhinged to the side wall thereof and a flap integrally hinged to theother side thereof; when the noncellul-ar cover of the carton of theaforementioned patent is closed, the flap thereof extends upwardlywithin and adjacent to the front wall of the cover. The cover inaccordance with the said patent has proven to be generally strong, andas a consequence the breakage of eggs carried within the carton has beenquite small.

In my co-pending application, Serial No. 654,016, filed April 19, 1957for Molded Pulp Egg Carton, now Patent No. 2,990,094 there are embodiedsome of the principles disclosed in the above mentioned Cox patent andfurther providing for a locking construction for the egg carton thereof.In particular, the said co-pending application discloses a non-cellularcover having depending front and rear walls which are of scallopedshape, featuring longitudinally spaced, outwardly curved or recessedbays formed by frusto-conical sectional surfaces molded in the frontwall of the cover. The locking flap of the carton described in saidapplication is similarly shaped, and in the closed position of thecarton extends upwardly from the tray front wall and lies within thecover front wall, the frusto-conical sections of the curved front walland of the locking flap being in register with each other. The lockingflap is provided with a pair of locking lugs, each of the lugs extendingoutwardly from the locking flap, and from an area thereof lying betweentwo of the outwardly curved bays of the locking flap. Each locking lugextends through a locking aperture provided in the cover front wall, theapertures being formed in the cover front wall between two of theoutwardly curved bays thereof.

\As a consequence of the above described construction, there wasprovided a strong carton that was readily adapted to be closed byautomatic machinery and which carton when closed was securely locked inthe closed position. Opening of the carton was accomplished by forcingthe locking lugs towards the interior of the carton so that they nolonger engaged in the apertures in the cover front wall, and so thecover could be rotated on its hinged connection with the tray to therebyopen the canton.

Although the carton described in said application was a highlyadvantageous and desirable carton, it has been found that there hasarisen objections to this carton on the part of some of the purchasersthereof at the retail level. Otherwise stated, some housewives andsimilar users have found that the carton of said application does notyield as readily as they desire to their elforts to open that carton. Asa consequence, despite the many advantages of the carton, it was learnedthat objections to it did exist on a limited basis.

Patented Apr. 3, 1962 ice The carton of the said application was furthercharacterized by requiring special printing machines to eifect printingof the scalloped front and rear walls of the cover section.

An object of the present invention is to provide a molded pulp eggcarton of the type comprising an integrally joined tray, cover andlocking flap which may be securely locked and which may be closed andlocked on automatic equipment, and which is also readily openable.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a moldedpulp egg carton having an integrally joined tray, cover and locking flapwhich is sufliciently strong to withstand normal cover loads and whichmay be readily opened.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a moldedegg carton which may be securely locked, easily opened and which will besufficiently strong for the usual purposes.

Still another object of the present invention is to provision of an eggcarton that is relatively strong, that may be closed by automaticmachinery and when closed be securely locked, and which will affordmaximum areas for printing without requiring special printing machinery.

Other objects and the [nature and advantages of the instant inventionwill be apparent from the following description taken in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation of an egg carton in accordance with thepresent invention in closed position.

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 but showing the egg carton inpartially open position.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a part of the locking flap of the eggcarton of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a closed sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a partial cross sectional view similar to FIG. 4, and showingthe releasing of a locking lug of said carton.

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 2., but showing another embodiment ofan egg carton in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 7 illustrates still another embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 8 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 88 of FIG. 7.

Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference characters areused to designate like or corresponding parts throughout the severalviews, there is shown in FIG. 1 an egg carton 10 comprising a traygenerally designated as 11 and a covergenerally designated as 20. Tray11 comprises a plurality of cells 12, and in the carton 10 which isillustrated there are two rows of cells, each row having six cellstherein. The cover 20 has a front wall 21 that is characterized by beingplanar from end to end thereof.

Cover front wall 21 is provided with a pair of spaced apertures 22 and23 therein adjacent the upper margin thereof. The end walls 24 and 25 ofcover 20 are generally outwardly tapering, from the planar top 26 ofcover 20 and the end walls 24 and 25 each has at the bottom thereof anoutwardly extending generally horizontal flange, the flange of end wall24 being designated 27 and the flange of end wall 25 being designated27'.

Referring now to FIG. 2, there is shown the carton 10 in partiallyopened position, there being revealed by the upward movement of cover 20a locking flap 30. Locking flap 30 is integrally joined to the uppermargin of tray 11 at a hinge line 31. Locking flap 30 has a pair ofspaced elongated, outwardly curved bays 32 and 33 rising upwardly fromthe hinge line 31, and each of the bays 32, 33 has extending therefrom alocking lug,

the locking lug of bay 32 being designated 34 and the locking lug of bay33 being designated 35.

The configuration of locking fiap 30, and particularly the bay andlocking lug construction thereof is clearly shown in H65. 3 and 4. Thus,in FIG. 3 it may be seen that bay 33 rises directly from hinge line 31and that the locking lug 35 thereof extends outwardly from it. Thejunctures 37 between lugs 34, 35 and bays 32, 33 are so located that theouter surface of the bays and hinge line 31 beneath the bays are all inthe same plane.

At either end of locking flap 30 there are provided the partial bays 38and 39, and between the several bays and partial bays above mentionedthere may be seen recesses, there being three such recesses designated40, 41 and 42.

The bays 32, 33, see 32, in FIG. 4, for example, are inwardly curved attheir upper ends to provide a generally horizontal portion 45 which isin substantial area con tact with the underside of top 26 of cover 20.At the lower ends of the several recesses 40, 41 and 42 there areprovided horizontal portions, horizontal portion 47 being seen in FIG. 3at the lower end of recess 41. The tray 11 has, beneath each of thehorizontal portions of the locking fiap 30, a corresponding horizontalshelf-like portion, portion 13 being visible in FIG. 4. Each of thehorizontal portions of the recesses 40, 41 and 42 rests upon acorresponding shelf-like portion, such as shelflike portion 13 tothereby elfect load transmission to the tray.

Cover 20 is hingedly connected to one side of tray 11 at hinge line 14,as may be seen in FIG. 4, and the tray 11 is preferably characterized byhaving upstanding posts therein, such as post 15 shown in FIG. 4, whichengages with the underside of the top 26 of cover 20. Tray 11 has at theends thereof horizontally extending flanges 16 and 17.

It will be understood that the carton is manufactured by a pulp moldingprocess, and the carton is then shipped to a desired point and filledwith eggs, it being then in the opened position thereof, with the cover20 being at one side of tray 11 and the locking flap 30 extendingoutwardly from the other side thereof. By passing the carton 10 throughautomatic equipment, the locking flap 3%) is rotated about hinge line 31into the position shown in FIG. 4 and the cover 20 is rotated about thehinge line 14. The bottom edge of cover front wall 21 will movedownwardly past the locking lugs 34 and 35, at which point a cammingaction will take place between the said locking lugs 34 and 35 and theinterior side of cover front wall 21, ifnecessary. Cover 20 willthereupon continue to rotate until finally the apertures 22 and 23 willbe in register with the locking lugs 34 and 35, respectively, and theinterior surface of cover front wall 21 no longer being in contact withthe locking lugs 34 and 35, these lugs 34 and 35 will be snapped throughthe apertures 22 and 23, respectively, by virtue of the naturalresiliency of the pulp fibres in the hinge line 31, and in the lockingflap 30. The carton 10 will then be securely locked and the parts willoccupy the position shown in FIG. 4, with the locking lugs extendingthrough the apertures, as exemplified by locking lug 34 extendingthrough aperture 22, and preventing opening pivotal movement of cover29.

Vertical loads imparted to cover 20 will be transmitted to tray 11 byvirtue of hinge line 14, upstanding post 15, and by virtue of theengagement of the cover 26 with locking flap 30. Particularly, the loadwill be transmitted from the cover 26 into the horizontal portions, asexemplified by portion 45, and will be transmitted from locking flap 30into the tray 11 through hinge line 31 and through the engagement of thehorizontal portions at the bottom of the several recesses 40, 41 and 42which engage with the shelf-like portions of the tray as exemplifled bythe shelf-like portion 13 shown in FIG. 4. In

addition, the load will be transmitted from the cover 20 into the tray11 through horizontal flanges 26, 16 and 27, 17.

Because of the relatively great length and planar configuration of frontwall 21 and cover 20, it is relatively easy to engage the lower edge offront wall 21, as by the thumb or thumb nail, opposite recess 41, and todefleet that portion of front wall 21 outwardly away from locking flap30. Thus, front wall 21 will be bowed between its connections with theend walls 24 and 25 having its maximum deflection opposite recess 41.The outward bowing of front Wall 21 is illustrated in FIG. 5, wherein itmay be seen that aperture 22 is caused to be almost clear of locking lug34, so that by a slight inward force on looking lug 34, it willdisengage completely from aperture 22; locking lug 34 may be similarlyquickly and easily disengaged from aperture 23 to thereby release thelocking arrangement of the carton 10.

In FIG. 6 there may be seen a carton 50 that is generally similar to thecarton 16 of FIGS. 1-5, but wherein there is provided a locking flap 51that has a single outwardly curved bay 52 provided with the two spacedlooking lugs 53 and 54. The carton 50 is otherwise substantially thesame as the carton 10.

As shown in FIG. 7, the locking flap may be flat, and without the bay orbays which are present in FIGS. 2 and 6. Thus, the carton 60 of FIG. 7has a locking flap 61.that is planar and has a pair of locking lugs 63and 64. In this embodiment, the natural and inherent resiliency of thehinge of the locking flap 61 serves to urge the locking flap 61 intocontact with the inner face of the cover front Wall, the locking lugs 63and 64 thereby extending through the corresponding apertures in thecover front wall. The locking flap 61 of FIG. 7 is provided withbutton-like indentations 65, each of which is in registry with ahorizontal shelf-like portion 13, whereby transmission of load and alimitation on inward pivoting of the locking flap 61 is efiected.

The embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8 hassubstantially the same security of closure and strength transmissioncharacteristics as the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 6, as will beunderstood.

There has been provided an egg carton that is of a relatively strongconstruction, being made of molded pulp and having a tray with a coverand a locking flap integrally joined to opposite sides thereof, thecarton being readily closed by automatic equipment and easily opened. Infact, the carton of the present invention is so construoted that theeasy and natural opening movements thereof presents itself to thehousewife as the obvious and inherent manner of opening the carton.Thus, the carton of the present invention is not only strongly andsecurely locked when in closed position, but is inherently and obviouslyeasily opened.

It will be understood further that the carton of the present inventionprovides the added advantage, in addition to those recited above, ofproviding a cover with a configuration, i.e., the planar front wall,that may be readily printed, as with advertising matter.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes maybe made without departing from the spirit of the invention and thereforethe invention is not limited to what is shown in the drawings anddescribed in the specification, but only as indicated in the appendedclaims.

What is claimed is:

1. A molded pulp egg carton comprising a cellular tray, a cover hingedlyconnected to the tray along mutually adjacent edges and a locking flapintegrally and hingedly connected to the tray along the side thereofopposite the side to which said cover is connected, said tray and saidcover having at the ends thereof generally horizontally extendingflanges in substantial surface and load transmit ting contact, said.cover having a generally flat top and planar depending and outwardlytapering walls, the cover front Wall having a pair of spaced aperturestherein adjacent the upper margin thereof, said locking flap having apair of spaced elongated outwardly curved bays, rising upwardly from thehinge line connection thereof with said tray, said locking flap beingrecessed the width of said locking flap at each end of each of said baysand forming a substantial finger-receiving portion inwardly of the hingeconnection of said locking flap and behind said front wall, a lockinglug extending outwardly from each of said bays adjacent the top of saidbays and for extending through one of said apertures, said tray havinghorizontal shelf-like portions adjacent and rearwardly of the hingeconnection between said tray and said locking flap, said locking flaphaving horizontal portions at the bottom and top of each of the recessesthereof in substantial load transmitting engagement with the horizontalshelf-like portions of said bottom and the flat top of said cover,whereby loads on the cover of said carton will be transmitted throughthe end flanges and through the locking flap to said tray and wherebythe front wall of said cover may be readily outwardly deflected torelease said locking projections from engagement with said apertures.

2. The structure of claim 1; said cellular tray including intermediate,vertically projecting post portions terminating above said hingeconnections and terminally engageable beneath an intermediateundersurface portion of said cover top.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,975,129 Sherman Oct. 2, 1934 2,093,280 Koppehnan Sept. 14, 19372,515,113 Chaplin July 11, 1950 2,600,130 Schilling June 10, 19522,888,183 Reifers May 26, 1959 2,978,162 Lambert Apr. 4, 1961 FOREIGNPATENTS 164,896 Australia Aug. 31, 1955

